Another XKR saved from a backlot! Plus even better news in there that I won't spoil.

 

Cool, but it'd fit better in the X100 forum.

 

I am somewhat tempted to manual convert my car or buy one already done. At the same time though I do like the automatic in our cars. I would probbaly be better off just buying a different car that came as a manual from the factory, TVR S3?

 

i didn't think it could be done but now i think i "remember" that from people talking about the X150 not the X100. the power gain idea is definitely interesting at least on a technical basis. i still came to love the automanual ZF6.

 

The guys that they take the car to for the dyno have a decent series on their channel about a manual XKR race car they built:

https://m.youtube.com/@TuningShed/videos

They use a manual transmission from a 2.7L diesel s-type. These are freely available from ebay as the same trans was used in some BMWs too.

From watching their video it fits perfectly without any adaptation to the drive shaft, etc.

The ECU element will be the interesting factor in the drive tribe conversion as they will be keeping theirs as a road car. RVE use a standalone ECU designed for track cars so is a very different setup.

 

next episode of this series was just posted. they dug into the car's history a bit, i think i saw the VIN number on screen for a moment but it may have just been for effect. it used to be a US car! maybe even somebody from here.

 

I know it’s for drama/entertainment but, I’m pretty sure the engine never actually caught fire and that it was just oil on the exhaust from the typical valve cover leaks.

 

I think I would rather buy one that has already been done. Last time I went down the rabbit hole of modifying a car I lost some £10k. And yea it never caught fire, it was a plastic connector on the engine block and some oil burning off that had leaked onto the engine.

 

Just checked one supplier says loads in stock auto and manual ..£135 $ 160.....makes you think but having put 3 different engines into my Range Rover classic there is more to it than a gearbox ..you need a flywheel for a start. literally.

 

This is great. Keep the updates coming.

 

The question for me would be what other cars had the 4 litre engine ...certainly Range Rovers but I think all automatic .If you can find a manual version you can find a flywheel and clutch plate. I have converted 3 range rovers from 3.5litre to Diesel and its all out there if you can locate it.

 

Apparently they're using the 2.7 diesel S-Type's manual, so perhaps the flywheel from that would also fit. If not, I wouldn't be surprised if Drivetribe could just call up a sponsor to do a custom flywheel.

 

Some of the things Swallows said aren't entirely accurate, ZF6HP26 can lock up in every gear not just a couple. And the power loss from the torque converter isn't as great as they suggest, there isn't much difference between a manual and the 6HP, at 400hp you loose about 30hp or so which is about what you would expect with a manual. No doubt when they dyno the car after servicing it and probably doing a tune on it with their custom ECU and wiring loom it will make more power. They will probably also put a smaller supercharger pulley on it as well so I would expect 450hp or so at the wheels. I don't think a manual conversion on it's own will net you much power at all otherwise.

 

FWIW, the manual swap flywheel for my stype came from Tom Lenthall Jaguar. Uses an off the shelf clutch setup. Pretty easy to obtain.

 

I would love to do a manual swap. Some years back, I had an auto Triumph Stag and when the Borg Warner started to slip I called Tony Hart. He sent me everything I needed to do the swap. Including a 4 speed with OD! Price was reasonable and I supplied the labor. It transformed that car into a enjoyable, quick , and responsive car. If some company could put together a kit I would be in like a shot!!

 

I believe there are quite a few manual BMWs that use the same gearbox as the S-Type and you can put together a kit with parts from tgose cars that will work with the XK8 engines.

Most people who do this conversion use the BMW gear linkage too as it supposedly has a shorter throw than the S-type linkage.

 

How much power and torque can the 2.7 diesel s-type gearbox handle?

If it can handle twin screw levels of power, I now have my next goal in modifying my Jag.

 

Very interesting. I would love to know what engine controller they are using. The communication between ECM and the chassis is what allows the gauges and other systems to work. If they are going aftermarket controller, some sort of communication converter would be needed or nothing in the car will work. If it is still the stock Jag ECM then something has to happen in regards to the original trans controller. The Jag ECM (and car) will be looking for signals (CAN messaging) from it...

 

Hi all;
I would like to swap the s-type manual as well and i'm sure that there are plenty of bmw sourced units here in the US, but aren't they going to have a bmw shaped bellhousing? Are these s-type manual boxes available in the states?
Don

 

They are not available in the US. You would have to buy one from Europe.